


A most disagreeable little man

by TheArrow



Series: A Tale of Two Champions [3]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Friendship is Magic, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Modded Skyrim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 08:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18206168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArrow/pseuds/TheArrow
Summary: In the middle of Frost Fall 4E 201, Inigo and his Bosmer companion climb the summit east of Snow Point Beacon for the first time to meet a seer.Aranwen doesn’t like Langley.No.Correction.Aranwen really doesn’t like Langley.





	A most disagreeable little man

**Author's Note:**

> Some housekeeping notes: 
> 
> This vignette is part of a larger series of snapshots of Inigo's journeys with Aranwen, the Bosmer Dragonborn I usually play as. Aranwen is described using the English gender-neutral pronouns "they", "their", and "them" here. In this vignette, it is unclear whether or not Aranwen knows they are the Dragonborn (yet). 
> 
> Inigo the Brave is the labour of love and creation of Gary or Smartbluecat on the Nexus modding forums. So is the character of Langley. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED FOR THE INIGO MOD, PLEASE STOP READING NOW.

**Frost Fall 4E 201**

**Somewhere east of Snow Point Beacon**

Aranwen doesn’t like Langley.

 _No_.

Correction.

Aranwen _really_ doesn’t like Langley.

They’ve been working for the Dawnguard for the past few months, and they’ve still got a Breton inventor to find somewhere in the wilds of the Reach, and they have _no_ leads. But they couldn’t keep travelling west when Inigo was falling to the side in pain. It’s been a week — in some of the worst weather Skyrim’s northern shores have seen in months. And then, finally, this morning he woke Aranwen up just before dawn with an idea, finally, of where to go. They’ve had a hard trek through the giant and bandit infested forest south from Dawnstar and then a steep, icy, frozen climb up Snow Point in the middle of a _blizzard_ and now they’ve had to deal with this absolute _cave troll_ in humanoid form and no creature has ever _felt so wrong_ and why is Inigo smelling _safety_ here in this hut where all Aranwen sees strewn on the walls and about the hut crazed drawings of Inigo and here Langley is admitting to having spent _years_ stalking Inigo and — _ugh._

Aranwen takes a moment to remember to breathe, and cracks their knuckles through their thick fur-and-calfskin gloves. The Bosmer ranger has been standing in the hut by the fire for close to an hour now, as Langley speaks to Inigo in the far corner of the hut. The human pulls out a tattered journal from a fold in their robes and slides it over, and Aranwen has long learned how to read Inigo’s face.

Aranwen swallows and brings their gaze back into the fire. Inigo is far from wide-eyed or naive — but there’s a vulnerability there that they will die to protect. Inigo may not see any reason to suspect Langley of ulterior motives, but Aranwen’s mind is already flooding with possibilities. The possibility that this is all an elaborate hoax, the years-long strange obsession of a deranged mind, is top and foremost on the list of possible explanations for what is happening. Nothing Aranwen has seen so far completely eliminates that possibility.

Resigned to the fact that they are going to be here a while longer, Aranwen removes one of their gloves and wipes the sweat pearling at their brow, the warmth from the fire radiating through their leathers and fur armour. If it were up to them, they would grab Inigo and get the Oblivion away from here, trek all the way back to Riften — by Shor, Aranwen would rather head back to Fort Dawnguard and deal with Isran’s sunny disposition compared to putting up with another single minute of Langley’s self-important and jealous nonsense.

 _Breathe, Aranwen._ This is utter rubbish. But another look at Inigo’s crestfallen, yet so _hopeful_ face and Aranwen remembers this has nothing to do with them. Inigo’s been at their side for years now, and since they’ve found each other again that fateful night in the Riften jail they’ve been thick as thieves and inseparable, no matter what complete nonsense Aranwen kept leading them into.

Inigo looks up at that moment and their gazes cross. For a moment Inigo’s eyebrows furrow, and he nods imperceptibly in Aranwen’s direction as Langley drones on over some notes in his journals. It’s a question, posed in the silent language of gestures and looks perfected in many cairns and dungeons throughout their adventures.

Without a doubt, the ranger nods back. Their bond is one for life, stronger than any promise, any destiny, and design made by mortal or god. No matter what Inigo needs, Aranwen will be there.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: 
> 
> Shor is the Nordic representation of the god Lorkhan. He is considered the husband of the goddess Kyne (Kynareth) by the Ancient Nordic Pantheon, and is the embodiment of the afterlife of Sovngarde.


End file.
